A couple of weeks ago (give or take a few days), I ran an informal poll in my Instagram Stories about my followers’ quarantine skincare habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. As I’ve already divulged, my beauty routine hasn’t changed much…when I’m dedicated enough to follow through with it, anyway.
Naturally, I was curious to know how others have been faring, especially those who suddenly have more time to spend at home.
And before you ask why I didn’t post these possibly-outdated results sooner, let’s just say I’ve been busy with work, working out, and other important goings-on.
(Okay, a huge chunk of my time has been dedicated to crafting and consuming Dalgona-style drinks.)
A Look at Quarantine Skincare Habits
Question 1: Have you been maintaining your regular skincare routine during quarantine?
Of the very small sample size of my followers who responded to this poll, more than half of them said it’s business as usual when it comes to their skincare routine, pandemic be damned.
Why maintain it? For “a sense of normalcy,” explains Karen of @skin_karen, adding that she also has “time to be super extra”
Meanwhile, Alexia, alias @tae_jungkook, is toning down her routine while under quarantine: “I don’t think I need to use a lot of stuff since I’m just going to be home all day…normal cleanser and toner seem fine [right now].”
If you want help in keeping up with your skincare routine while time seemingly melds together, follow this hack from Kate Donelson, aka katelikeslipstick: “I set an alarm and when it goes off, I wash my face.”
Question 2: If you haven’t been following your routine, has quarantine been making you do more or less?
Of those who haven’t been maintaining their standard routine, nearly two-thirds of them have cut back on products and time. To circle back to a previous response, not leaving the house may eliminate that incentive to follow through on a full routine, especially if there’s going to be way less makeup being worn. (I can attest to this.) A couple of respondents even admitted that they’ve scaled down out of plain laziness, which can definitely be a symptom of staying indoors all day.
But as I’ve witnessed in my Instagram feed, there are also plenty of people who are making the most of the extra time they have at home by upping the ante on their skincare routine. In some cases, they’re using quarantine as an opportunity to explore unopened or barely-used products. I’ve even seen a few people saying they’re now masking every day, or even using multiple masks per day.
One of my good IG friends admits that she’s “been bad at morning routines” and has been “going all in” on nighttime routines instead. Let’s call that splitting the difference. Or what’s basically my standard approach to skincare. (My daytime routine has always been quite quick.)
So What Did I Learn From This Informal Poll?
That we’re all handling this situation in our own ways. For some, that means maintaining a sense of normalcy, while for others it’s doing what feels right, even if that means taking a break from routine.
As we approach week-whatever of quarantine, it easy to lose touch with what’s considered normal. That can be frustrating. There’s hope that by May we’ll finally be able to resume our regularly-scheduled lives, but there’s also the possibility of yet another quarantine extension as long as people continue to blatantly ignore the rules of social distancing. (I’m glaring at you, old dudes who gather around and drink beer by the river every day.)
I admire those who are spending quarantine making their skincare routine more “extra.” Or taking the time to learn new skills. Or finally writing that novel that’s been percolating in their minds for who-knows-how-long.
But I also don’t think it’s fair to shame anyone who isn’t hyper-productive every single day. That’s untenable, even during a pandemic. The New York Times can back me up on this.
Like I said in my last post, we need to be kind to ourselves. There’s no need to feel guilty over not maintaining the status quo because the status quo is in shambles right now. Hell, I occasionally lose track of what day it is and I’m sure I’m not alone in that. (What are weekends anymore, anyway?)
Whether you’re doing more with your skincare routine or totally putting it on the backburner right now, know that you’re not alone, either way. And that’s okay.
Coming Up Next…
Maybe a quarantine post-mortem, whenever that may be!
In the meantime, if you have anything to share about your quarantine skincare habits in The Time of Corona, leave a comment below.
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Featured photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash.
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I am not a professional. All opinions are my own.